The City of Somerville and Somerville Public Schools has decided to try reopening the schools this fall under specific guidelines that are currently being worked out. Some are wary that it is too soon and there is still too much risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus, while others argue that keeping kids out of school is detrimental to their development and an unnecessary burden on their parents and guardians. We can only trust that the city will come up with a plan that is safe and sustainable. What do you think about it?

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Help reach out to seniors who need a little sunshine. The Somerville Council on Aging is looking for donations of new games, puzzles, arts and crafts supplies, books, or any other fun items. Items can be dropped off at the Holland Street Senior Center, 167 Holland Street from July 29 to August 7. A box will be inside the vestibule. The items will be used to create goody bags for seniors. For more information, please call Debby Higgins, Outreach Coordinator at 617-625-6600 ext. 2321 or dhiggins@somervillema.gov.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to Corey Norton. We wish him a happy birthday and hope he has a great day. Happy birthday to Ward 5 Councilor and smart guy Mark Niedergang, who is also celebrating this week. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Peter McIsaac, Joanne Tibbetts, Gail Stoico,Paul Wood, Michael Delicato, Robert Carnes, Laura Pitone, Daniel M. Kimmel, Cathy Driscoll-Kinnon, Nancy O’Meara Pino, Jason Banning, Karen D’Amato, Mike Morrison, Sharon Breen, Tori Antonino, Ron Newman, Michele Oliphant Spinale, and Jane Sherrill a very happy birthday. We hope everyone has a great day. To all the others we may have missed, we sincerely wish them the very best of birthdays.

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The City of Somerville Constituent Services (311 Somerville) is seeking three part-time Customer Service Representatives for temporary work through June 30, 2021. Learn more about the job description and how to apply at bit.ly/311jobs.

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Tufts University President Monaco will host a virtual community meeting to discuss their plans for re-opening. Email your questions ahead ahead of time to Rocco.Dirico@tufts.edu, or you can ask during their Q&A portion of the meeting on Tuesday, August 4, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. https://tufts.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rDutFXeKSK2KjpHdeox-qQ?fbclid=IwAR3eYtSYYPjnOx7UCd6iNg47eStwsyxkEDnp1RynUDT6VdxiKN8OqHuN2-A.

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As of Monday, July 20, the COVID-19 testing site previously located at the Somerville Hospital has moved to 133 Middlesex Avenue (near the former Kmart site) in Assembly Square. The testing site is part of a larger COVID-19 mitigation strategy by the City of Somerville in partnership with Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA). Patients can arrive at the site via vehicle, walking, or bicycle, and testing procedures will be the same as at the previous location:  Patients must have an appointment to be tested. To make an appointment, call 617-665-2928 (Mon-Fri, 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.). CHA patients can also use their MyCHArt account to set up an appointment. Testing is free and insurance coverage is not a requirement, although CHA may ask for insurance information for administrative purposes. You will not be turned away if you do not have insurance. You do not need to have symptoms to be tested. Immigration status will not be checked. Please bring a photo ID. Patients will receive a phone call with their results, which could take up to five days to come in. There is also a mobile testing unit that accepts patients at roaming locations throughout Somerville. To see the mobile site’s upcoming schedule, visit the “Symptoms, Testing, & Medical Info” tab on www.somervillema.gov/covid19 or call 311. To make an appointment at the mobile testing site please call 617-682-0583 (English); 617-398-7770 (Spanish); 617-684-5625 (Portuguese); 617-735-5553 (Nepali); or 617-625-6600 ext. 2622 (Haitian Creole).

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The Somerville Arts Council is looking to create an outside photography exhibition in East Somerville. “With this exhibition we want to give our Black and Brown artists a public platform to show how visuals creates change within ourselves and awareness in our communities. So if you are a POC photographer, please consider applying!” The submission process will be juried. To Submit: https://forms.gle/RZaEHo6A9TNJSHHE9. Deadline: August 3. Questions? Contact iaritza menjivar at imenjivar@somervillema.gov.

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On July 30, The Center for Arts at the Armory will be hosting their first major fundraising event and virtual gala as they celebrate the organization’s ten-year anniversary as a home for the arts in Somerville. General admission tickets are $25 and $100 for VIP tickets. The virtual gala program will also include performances by Puerto Rican cuatro player Fabiola Mendez, Haitian contemporary dance company Jean Appolon Expressions, Esh Circus Arts, and a short film by Karen Aqua. The event will honor U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley MA-07 and State Representative Denise Provost. Visit https://www.classy.org/event/arts-at-the-armory-10-year-anniversary-gala/e291058 to learn more.

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Mark your calendars. This year’s What the Fluff? festival will be a little zanier than usual as they celebrate through the sphere of cyberspace. In a world reinventing itself, Fluff Fest 2020 unites us – albeit virtually – through the one thing we can all believe in: the sweet, sticky, tasty, magical power of Fluff. For the love of Fluff, wherever our e-news reaches you, get ready to boast your worldwide Fluff pride, support independently-owned by scoring your Fluff stuff online, take part in innovation jubilation with arts, eats and oodles of family fun, and flock with fellow friends-in-Fluff through the first-ever, virtual Fluff Festival on September 12.

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More than 100 families in East Boston’s Eagle Hill neighborhood have been hit especially hard by the coronavirus this spring and summer, and they have been relying on donated food from mutual aid support. Josephine Ave organizers are looking for people to “adopt” a food item and picking it up every time you shop, such as beans, vegetable oil, instant coffee and more. Ball Square Fine Wines, Neighborhood Produce, and Sounds Bites have already pledged to donate. Drop offs located at 10, 32, and 104 Josephine Avenue. Contact genevieve.walsh@gmail.com for more information.

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Owner Matt Grey has indicated that Neighborhood Produce (Winter Hill/Gilman Square area) is working on opening its second location in Ball Square. Yes, a local grocery store! Beloved and strongly supported during the pandemic, the store will be at the former PaperWorks store, 691 Broadway. According to Matt, “Our plan is to first use the space for online orders, and pack orders for both our current store and this store. So, it’ll be open to grocery pick-ups (which the store is perfectly set up for with its vestibule and ATM booth). Then, while the online orders are going on, we’ll decide what the inside of the store will look like, and when we’ll open to the general public.” The opening date is yet to be determined, but could be as early as August. Follow Neighborhood Produce on instagram at @neighborhoodproduce and on Facebook at neighborhood produce.

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Registered voters in Somerville should have received their applications for mail-in voting. If you fill it out and return it, you will be able to vote in the September 1 primary and November 3 general election without having to go to a poll site. Mayor Joe Curtatone explains this simple process here: https://youtu.be/k8mH7g0Z5ww. Anyone not registered to vote or registered voters who have not received their mail-in voting application can go to https://www.somervillema.gov/ELECTIONS for easy registration and to download a mail-in voting application.

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Reminder: city buildings are still closed to the public. Although buildings remain closed, a number of city services are still available online or by calling 311. Check the “City Service Status” tab on the city’s COVID-19 page for more information.

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Just Us Somerville, a group of People Of Color living in Somerville, is looking for a couple of local POC artists to assist with the development and implementation of a BLM mural street project. If interested, please contact: Nelson Salazar at tuftsmpp@gmail.com.

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Because overcrowding and games were observed at a number of courts, basketball hoops in Somerville’s parks have been blocked again until further notice. Courts are still available for non-contact play. The city is asking everyone to please continue to use good judgement on courts, in playgrounds, and at other recreation areas. If it is not possible to maintain social distancing, be the person who does the right thing and come back later or find an alternative.

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Healthy, local food is important. The Farmers Markets are open again in Davis Square (www.massfarmersmarkets.org/davis) and Union Square (www.unionsquaremain.org/2020-season). But this year they will be different. Both markets will encourage only one person per household to do the shopping, incorporate social distancing guidelines and allow a limited amount of shoppers in the space. Please sign up for a shopping spot in advance at the market websites. SNAP and HIP benefits are accessible for shoppers in both markets. No gathering or socializing is allowed in the markets.

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